Gas-producing furnace



(No Model.)

S. P. HUTGHINSON 8: S. L. WIEGAND.

GAS PRODUGING PURNAGE. No. 514,994. Patented Feb. 20, 1894.

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' UNITED STA ES PATENT OFFIGE.

SAMUEL P. HUTOHINSON AND s. LLOYD WIEGAND, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

GAS-PRODUCING FURNACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 514,994, dated February 20, 1894.

Application filed February 20, 1893. ;$eria1No. 462.941. (N tau.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, SAMUEL P. HUTOHIN.

I SON and S. LLOYD WIEGAND, both citizens of the United States, and both residing at Philadelphia', in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gas-Producing Furnaces for Burning Fuel with Air and Steam, useful for steam-generation and other heating; and we do hereby declare the followin g to be a sufficiently full, clear, andexact description thereof as to enable Others skilled in the art to make and use the saidinvention.

This invention relates to furnaces wherein fuel is burned with air or air and steam, and is usefully applicable to the purposes of generating steam and other heating effects, but is more especially useful for steam generation, because it protects the fuel in combustion, from such reduction of temperature at the place, and time of reducingit to a gaseous condition by proximity to the comparatively low temperature of the steam boiler, or other steam generating vessels.

The objects of this invention are to render the process of gas generation and combustion continuous, and more completely regulable to suit varying requirements of work, by protecting it from interruption during the introduction of fuel, and the removal of incombustible residuum, to facilitate the cleaning of the fires and to more durably and economically construct such furnaces, in the portion for protecting the solid fuel from reduction of temperature.

The nature of this invention to secure these desiderata consists in a system of construction of such'furnaces as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and fully hereinafter described.

Referring to the drawings :Figure 1, shows a central vertical section of an upright cylindric furnace embodyingthis invention. Figs. 2, and 3, respectively, show lengthwise and transverse vertical sections of rectangular forms of such furnaces. Fig. 4, shows a lengthwise vertical section of afurnace embodying this invention adapted to use in limited spaces such as render access to more than one side inconvenient or impracticable. Fig. 5, shows an enlarged perspective view of arranged-to disintegrate clinkers and drop them into the ash pit.

6, is 'a moving chamber having an opening 7 in the side which in one position registers with an opening 8, in the bottom or hearth 2 of the ash pit 1, against which the chamber 6 fits closely, and in another position closes the opening 8, and prevents air drafts entering the opening 7, in register with an opening 9, in a case 38, surrounding'and fitting closely to the chamber 6, so that with the opening 7, turned upward, ashes, cinders or any other residuum from the fuel, fall into the chamber 6, and only so much air as is contained in the chamber 6 enters the ash pit 1,through the opening 8, and when the chamber 6 is turned with the opening 7, downward, it is emptied of the ashes or like matter through the opening 9 and refilled with air.

An air injector 10, which maybe operated by steam or compressed air or by both,is connected with the ash pit, so as to introduce a regulable supply of. air, or air and steam or aqueous vapor to the ash pit l.

11, is the furnace chamber, which is formed or lined with refractory material, and is provided with air heating channels 39, leading from the ash pit, and conducting air therefrom, and delivering itin heated condition above the fuel in the chamber through apertures 12, in the manner described in United States Letters Patent No. 492,020, dated February 21, 1893, to thewithin named Samuel P.

Hutchinson. I

mechanism 16, can only be opened alternately, and thus prevent air currents passing in, or gas out of the chutes 13. As shown in Fig. 3, a constant supply of, fuel maintained in the chutes 13, serves to exclude air. 7

Above the furnace chamber 11 is a perfo IOC rated partition, or screen shaped as a dome 17, of refractory material, the lower concave surface of which deflects and concentrates heat on the central body of fuel in the chamber 11 maintaining the fuel in constant condition for free evolution of gases, as it combines with the air, or air and aqueous vapor, introduced through the ash pit 1.

As shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 4, a series of refractory tiles 18, which when assembled form another perforated partition or screen, are placed above the dome 17; one of these tiles is shown in enlarged perspective in Fig. 5, these tiles are formed with downward projections 19, near the sides and ends, and have the corners 20 so shaped as to leave openings between them, when placed in position over the dome 17, and are so placed relatively to the apertures 21, in the dome 17, as to obstruct radiation of heat, from the fuel through the apertures 21, in the dome 17, but to permit the escape of gases through the apertures 21.

In Fig. 2 instead of a perforated dome for concentrating heat on the fuel, an imperforate dome 22, is substituted, and the discharge of gas to the flue 23 is through perforations 24 in the partition 25, of refractory material, beyond which, with an intervening space 26, is another similar partition 27, having perforations 28, none of which should register with the perforations 24, in the partition 25, a like eifect is thus produced on the fuel,but not so equally, when the combustion is urged to its greatest capacity.

The segmental grate shown in Fig. 2 differs, from that shown in Figs. 1 and 3, in being a cylindric instead of a spherical segment.

The interlocking mechanism 16 applied to the doors 14 and valves 15, and indicated in dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 4, is shown in enlarged view in Fig. 6, and in an equivalent form in Fig. 7.

As depicted in Fig. 6, a lever 28 turning on a pivot 29, and having on its ends segments 30, which fit against notches or flat facets 31 in cylinders 32, which turn with the arbors of the doors 14 and valve 15; in each of the segments 30 is a notch 33, which when opposite the cylinder 32, permits it to turn, the notches 33 are so located in relation to each other and the cylinders 32 that one cylinder 32 must be locked by a segment 30, with its connected door or valve closed before the other cylinder 32 can enter the notch 33, and permit the connected door or valve to open.

The equivalent form of interlocking mechanism, shown in Fig. 7, consists of a cylinder 34, fastened to the arbor of the door 14, a similar cylinder 35, fastened to the arbor of the valve 15, and a sliding bar 36, supported in guide 37, and of such length that one end of the bar must engage in a notch in the cylinder 34 or 35, before the opposite end of it can be disengaged from the notch in the other cylinder.

The form of furnace depicted in Fig. 4, is with inclined tront'walls and a step shaped grate, so that it can be fed with fuel from the front side only.

The operation of gas generation, as conducted in this furnace, is similar to that stated in the Letters Patent No. 492,020 hereinbefore referred to, the several improvements embodied in this invention facilitating the continuous working of the process.

Having described our invention, What we claim is- 1. In a gas producing furnace, a concave dome arranged to deflect and concentrate heat upon the fuel in transit on the grate, a fuel supporting grate constructed and arranged to move the fuel from the entrance to a discharging aperture and an air tight ash pit in combination with a disintegrating mechanism, arranged substantially as shown to discharge clinkers and fuel residuum with ingress of air draft, substantially as set forth.

2. In a gas producing furnace an air tight ash pit with a regulating air admitting mechanism, a fuel supporting grate a furnace lining provided with air heating conduits, arranged as described to deliver heated air above the fuel, and a deflecting dome, arranged to concentrate heat on the fuel, in combination with a partition, having gas discharge apertures, leading outward from the furnace of a flue, and a deflecting refractory screen or screens in said fiue opposite such gas discharge apertures arranged to operate as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a gas producing furnace an inclosed air. tight ash pit, means of introducing air thereto in regulated quantities, and an ash and cinder discharging aperture in said ash pit, in combination with a vessel, moving in contact with the edges of said aperture, constructed and arranged to alternately receive cinders and ashes through said aperture and to close said aperture, and when closed discharge such ashes and cinders substantially as set forth.

4. In an inclosed gas producing furnace, a

fuel support, a perforated concave reflecting dome, arranged to concentrate heat upon the fuel, in combination with refractory covers located near the reflecting dome, and arranged to obstruct radiation of heat through the aperture and permit egress of gas through said apertures, substantially as set forth.

5. In a gas producing furnace, an inclosed furnace chamber lined with refractory materials, air heating channels through said lining, arranged to receive air from an inclosed ash pit, and discharge it above the fuel, and an inclosed ash pit and a fuel supporting grate, in combination with fuel supplying conduits, each provided with two or more valves or doors, arranged to open and close alternately, and restrict ingress and egress of air through said fuel supplying conduits substantially as set forth.

IIO

6. In a gas producing furnace an inclosed ders therefrom and disintegrate and discharge :0 air tight ash pit, adeflecting dome 17 and a clinkers into the ash pit substantially as so stationary iificlined grate arranged to receive forth. fuel near t e wall or walls of said furnace and conduct such fuel toward the focus of g t fg g w i gggg the deflecting dome 17, in combination with a t v moving convex segmental grate, arranged to Witnesses: gyrate or reciprocate in contiguity with said SAML. E. HUDSON,

stationary grate, and receive fuel and cin- O. R. MORGAN. 

